. >> reporter: the two parties are leaving negotiations to the two main power brokers, president obama and house speaker john boehner. >> if the president doesn't agree with our proposal, he has an obligation to families and small businesses to offer a plan of his own. a plan that can pass both chambers of the congress. >> reporter: with the clock ticking toward the fiscal cliff deadline, government workers have joined the push but they want to make sure they're not cut out of the deal. >> federal employees that i represent have offered up $103 billion to the federal deficit. >> reporter: jd cox of the american federation of government employees say they can't afford anymore cuts and going over the fiscal cliff will impact millions of americans. >> there would be a lot of federal employees who would be furloughed or riffed and would lose their jobs. >> reporter: economists say the combination of automatic spending cuts and tax increases that will kick in january 1st if congress and the president don't reach an agreement could plunge the country back into recession. danielle nottingham,